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MONDAY, September 15, 2008
David (San Francisco, Calif.): I noticed in the last Mailbag a question about getting a DVD of the 2004 Pistons season. Any DVDs out there chronicling the Bad Boys era that you’re aware of?
Langlois: I know Amazon had made available a collection of DVDs of the 1988-89 championship season. A little poking around on that site should turn it up for you.
Tom (Northville, Mich.): I like Amir Johnson’s enthusiasm and the energy he brings. I don’t like his tendency to collect multiple fouls in short periods of time. What is it about Amir and his game that makes Joe Dumars say he is not willing to trade Amir?
Langlois: He’s never said that to my knowledge. Would he be reluctant to trade him? Sure. Because he probably would be taking back about 25 cents on the dollar at this point. Joe D and Michael Curry are both very high on Johnson’s potential. He’s in line for a much bigger role this season. In fact, I think he’ll be given a chance to start in training camp, as will Jason Maxiell and Kwame Brown, as it appears the Pistons would prefer to bring Antonio McDyess off the bench again for a couple of reasons – he’d bring a veteran scoring presence to a very young group and it would cut back on his minutes now that he’s 34.
Sean (Melbourne, Australia): Why don’t the Pistons try to get Tyrus Thomas. He’s still young and has room to improve. Also, the Pistons should try to do a deal with the Nets since they have a few good forwards and a good player might not get a lot of minutes.
Langlois: The Bulls are in a somewhat similar position with Thomas as the Pistons are with Johnson – they think there’s more upside than there is trade value, although with Thomas there are some character red flags that aren’t in play with Johnson. I’m not sure the Pistons have a need for another young power forward when they’ve got both Johnson and Jason Maxiell. As for the Nets, yours is the first suggestion I’ve seen this summer that they have a surplus of talent. They definitely have quantity at forward – Bobby Simmons, Jarvis Hayes, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Yi Jianlian, Eduardo Najera, Stromile Swift and Ryan Anderson. Not sure anyone there would seriously crack the rotation for the Pistons unless Yi has a breakout season.
Shawn (Toledo, Ohio): If the Pistons don’t make any moves this year, do we have any reason to think we could win a championship seeing how the past few years ended?
Langlois: Teams never stay the same, Shawn. Even ones that bring back last year’s team essentially intact, as the Pistons have, plus Kwame Brown and minus Jarvis Hayes. Young players improve, older players fight the forces of nature, coaches push different buttons. The Pistons do have a new coach and all indications so far are positive regarding the way he’ll be received. Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo figure to be better players. The Pistons were close enough last year – take away the stink bomb start to Game 3 and who knows how the Boston series would have wound up? – that there is plenty of reason to believe they’ll be in the thick of it this time around.
Matt (Allendale, Mich.): If Kwame Brown and Antonio McDyess don’t start, will Jason Maxiell start at power forward with Rasheed at center? When Brown plays, will Rasheed play power forward? I like Dice, but I’m afraid if he plays minutes like he did last season he’ll be risking more knee problems.
Langlois: Who fills out the starting lineup will be one of the most pressing issues of training camp and the preseason, Matt. I think all three young big guys – Brown, Maxiell and Amir Johnson – will get a crack. But I think there would be some concern about starting Maxiell because he plays so hard to compensate for his size disadvantage that he wears down with overuse. Probably best suited to coming off the bench. Johnson might wind up being the most logical. One reason for that: I think pairing him with Wallace makes a lot of sense.
Nima (Windsor, Ontario): It’s OK that the Pistons won’t have any more games on MyTV 20 or anywhere but FSN. I will just purchase a free-to-air satellite and FSN for free. And, no, DirecTV is not available in Canada. We have our own Canadian satellite companies who seem to think everyone in Canada is a Raptors fan.
Langlois: My limited knowledge of Canadian telecast regulations has been exhausted by this whole issue. As I’ve written, our Pete Skorich was told by FSN that it and Canadian cable carriers has been unable to reach a deal. I’ve heard from others who say that Ontario’s cable monopoly would prevent FSN from striking a deal so it could steer sports fans to Raptors (and, presumably, Blue Jays, Maple Leafs and Senators) telecasts. I hope your solution works, Nima, but read on … is it any wonder I’m confused?
Philip (Dresden, Ontario): In answering your earlier query with regard to not getting 2008 Pistons games in Canada, the CRTC stands for the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. It regulates TV and radio in Canada. So even if FSN would be picked up by a Canadian cable company like Cogeco, it would have to be approved by the CRTC reflecting their goals for Canadian content. That’s why we can’t be NBA TV in Canada, instead forced to buy Raptors TV. Canadian Tigers, Red Wing and Pistons fans are well aware of this. For instance, I haven’t been able to watch either the Tigers or Red Wings since they went to FSN. Now, I cannot see the Pistons, either. It’s simply unavaiable here. The only way to get FSN is through an illegal satellite dish. The only way to get DirecTV in Canada is to pay with a credit card and a bogus American mailing address. Canadian satellite providers like Bell Expressvu and Starchoice don’t cary FSN for the same reasons. So all the pressure in the world by fans won’t change this. It’s faraway Ottawa through the CRTC that would have to approve it. The regrettable part for Canadian Pistons fans is the Pistons completely ignored this, cutting off a small but loyal fan base. I will do what I can here. I’ve already phoned and e-mailed the cable company, based in Toronto, which services Windsor, Sarnia and Chatham. What would be really helpful would be for Pistons.com to telecast the games live over the Internet.
Langlois: So I’m guessing, Philip, that you’re suggesting what Nima from Windsor is proposing would be illegal? I have no reason to doubt that your account of the situation is accurate. Maybe it’s simply a case of too many people in Toronto and Ottawa who don’t share the same allegiances of people from western Ontario, but if somebody could organize a petition drive in all the major population centers in that region – Windsor, Chatham, London, even the good people of Bayfield (which should be declared a national treasure, by the way), etc. – maybe you’ll have some luck. Flood every locally elected Canadian member of parliament with letters outlining your predicament. Especially lean on the ones who might be Pistons, Red Wings or Tigers fans. As for telecasting games via the Internet, sorry, that won’t work, either. The NBA forbids it. As you can tell, the Pistons weren’t really aware of the situation on your side of the border. The move to FSN will help many Michigan viewers because the over-the-air games that originated on MyTV-20 were not picked up consistently on a statewide basis. FSN is available to cable or satellite subscribers throughout Michigan, which, as I’m sure you would agree, is where the vast majority of Pistons fans are concentrated.
Ash (West Bloomfield, Mich.): What are the chances of the Pistons acquiring both Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony by the trade deadline?
Langlois: About the same as The Palace being hit by Halley’s Comet.
Tim (Ann Arbor, Mich.): Thanks for the frequent blogging and answering questions from Pistons fans. As someone else said, it has kept us excited and enthusiastic during this quiet summer. My question is how much cash does the team have left to spare to sign a 15th player if and when they do? Would it be enough to attract a quality free agent during the season?
Langlois: The Pistons have about $1.6 million left of their mid-level exception that they could use – the difference between the full MLE ($5.585 million this year) and the reported $4 million Kwame Brown got. They also have the biannual exception, which is roughly $2 million, should they choose to use that. And they also can sign a player for the veteran’s minimum, which varies depending on years of service. Yes, any of those would be enough to attract a quality veteran who is on the market. We’re talking about players who might get bought out or decide to come out of retirement. Last year, players like Theo Ratliff, Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown fit those descriptions.
Kristijan (Gilbert, Ariz.): Why don’t you guys train Prince to be a power forward, play Stuckey and Billups in the backcourt and put Hamilton at small forward with Wallace at center. That would be a great lineup.
Langlois: And, as I’ve written over the summer, it might be a lineup we’ll see on occasion. But the Pistons will have to pick their spots with Prince at the four. He’d match up very well with some of them – Orlando’s Rashard Lewis or Philadelphia’s Thaddeus Young, for instance – but you wouldn’t want him guarding Elton Brand or Zach Randolph.
Alex (Southfield, Mich.): If a player is waived and another team picks up his rights, does that player need to play for that team?
Langlois: It’s different in the NBA than in baseball. In baseball, a player who is cut goes through a waiver process where teams, in order of their record starting with the worst, have the chance to put in a waiver claim. Then the team that put the player on waivers can pull the player back, if they so choose, or let the player go to the team that claimed him. In the NBA, when a player is waived, he’s a free agent and can sign with anyone.
Imtahaj (Hamtramck, Mich.): The Pistons should get LeBron James. He is young and could take the Pistons to the Finals again. What do you think the Cavaliers would want from us to get LeBron?
Langlois: The Pistons’ roster, The Palace and Guardian Industries’ North American and European divisions, plus $500 million. Maybe.
Jason (Bay City, Mich.): With the East gaining more control and more championships won by them in the last eight years, why don’t they get more respect than the West?
Langlois: Not sure what you mean by the East “gaining more control” – I think the East will be deeper this year with six teams capable of winning the conference – but it’s not true that they’ve won more titles in the last eight years. The West has won six of the last nine – the Lakers won three straight from 2000-02 and the Spurs won every other year starting in 2003. The Pistons in ’04, Miami in ’06 and Boston in ’08 have the East’s three titles this decade.
Roy (North Star, Mich.): I am glad that FSN is covering so many Pistons games this year. My wife, on the other hand, might not be. I have Dish TV and they do not carry MyTV channels. This year I can get all the games. I hope my marriage can take it.
Langlois: Roy, there are only 82 game days spread across almost seven months, not counting the playoffs. That gives you more than 100 days without a Pistons game. I’m guessing you’re a creative enough guy to think of many ways to strengthen your marital bonds on all those non-game days. Perhaps you could convince your wife to watch the Pistons at your side.
Josh (Hsinchu, Taiwan): As you mentioned in your “Central’s Best” blog, LeBron James definitely prevents a clean sweep from the Pistons’ starters. If Cleveland can create cohesive chemistry between all of their new talents, could it be possible that their roster outmatches the Pistons?
Langlois: Possible? Sure. It’s tempting to dismiss Cleveland because the Cavs remain a team with some apparent flaws. But Mo Williams, on paper, gives LeBron the best No. 2 scoring option he’s had, and I still see Cleveland as a dangerous playoff team because of James’ ability to get to the foul line and the Cavs’ strong rebounding and defense.
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Originally Posted by MoTown a month ago
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